Iowa Politics Today: Iowa DOT officers could soon write you a traffic ticket

A roundup of legislative and Capitol news items of interest for Tuesday, April 4, 2017:

BIODIESEL BLOOMING:

A new state government report shows more than half of Iowa's fuel retailers carried biodiesel in 2016, a 6 percent increase over 2015.

The Iowa Department of Revenue recently released the 2016 Retailers Fuel Gallons Annual Report showing during 2016 the amount of on-road biodiesel sold equaled 344.8 million gallons, or 54.7 percent of total on-road diesel fuel sales reported. This is up from 308 million gallons, or 48.7 percent of total on-road (clear) diesel fuel sales the previous year.

The report showed twice as many gallons of B11 to B20 percent biodiesel were sold than of lower blends. In addition, 471 the number of Iowa on-road retailers now carrying biodiesel grew from 405 to 415 last year.

In 2006 the Iowa General Assembly passed legislation establishing a goal that 25 percent of all petroleum used in the formulation of gasoline be replaced by biofuels by the year 2020. Using the state's formula, during 2016, biofuels accounted for 12.2 percent of Iowa retail motor fuel sales.

In 2016, Iowa's biodiesel plants produced a record 305 million gallons of biodiesel and generated the equivalent of about 3,800 full-time jobs, according to a study by ABF Economics.

AmeriCorps RECOGNITION:

More than 133 mayors and county leaders across Iowa are recognizing the impact AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs have made on their local communities. Given the many social needs facing communities, cities and counties are increasingly turning to national service as a cost-effective strategy to meet local needs.

The fifth annual Mayor, County, and Tribal Recognition Day for National Service on Tuesday was a nationwide bipartisan effort to recognize the positive impact of national service, thank those who serve and encourage citizens to give back to their communities. In Iowa, the effort was coordinated in partnership with Volunteer Iowa, the Governor-appointed State Service Commission, which is integral to the $33.1 million in national service funding to Iowa nonprofit and other community-based organizations each year.

MAMMOGRAM REPORT: The House approved SF 250 to require mammogram providers to include breast density information in reports sent to patients.

Dense breast tissue can make it harder to diagnose breast cancer and people with dense breast tissue are at higher risk of breast cancer, Rep. Marti Anderson, D-Des Moines, said. The bill, which was passed 49-0 in the Senate, calls for women in the higher categories of density to be told that their mammograms might be missing cancer and they may be at higher risk for breast cancer. That information is not going directly to patients now. A patient who receives breast density information can seek further tests, such as an MRI or ultrasound, and make lifestyle choices to lower the risk.

Rep. Helen Miller, D-Fort Dodge, who proposed the legislation five years ago, thanked the Iowa Army of Pink, breast cancers and their families who have been lobbying for the bill.

The bill passed 95-2.

IOWA'S TOP TEACHER: The annual search for Iowa's teacher of the year is underway. Officials with the state Department of Education say the deadline for 2018 nominations is April 28. The award, to be announced this fall, is an opportunity to recognize an exceptional Iowa teacher who is helping to redefine education, according to the department. Nominations will be accepted from anyone, including students, parents, school administrators, colleagues, college faculty members and associations. Nomination forms can be found on the Iowa Department of Education's website (https://www.educateiowa.gov). The Iowa Teacher of the Year award was established in 1958. The Teacher of the Year serves as an ambassador to education and as a liaison to primary and secondary schools, higher education and organizations across the state. Shelly Vroegh, fifth-grade teacher and instructional coach from the Norwalk Community School District, was named the 2017 Teacher of the Year.

DOT ENFORCEMENT:

The Iowa Senate voted 41-9 Tuesday to give Iowa DOT enforcement officers, often called 'blue jackets,” expanded enforcement authority to write traffic citations like state troopers, but their primary job would continue to be commercial motor vehicle enforcement.

House File 463 returns to the House, which approved it 90-8 last month, after senators approved an amendment by Sen. Michael Breitbach, R-Strawberry Point, the bill's floor manager, to put a one-year 'sunset” on the change to allow legislators to review its effectiveness.

Under the bill, DOT enforcement officers could ticket 'egregious offenders: such as those traveling at speed 20 mph or more over the limit, operating while intoxicated and reckless driving,” according to backers. Sen. Jeff Danielson, D-Waterloo, spoke in opposition to a DOT 'expanded mission” that he said lawmakers never authorized and could jeopardize considerable state resources given that two district judges have ruled that DOT officers have been illegally issuing speeding tickets in legal challenges seeking to expunge traffic convictions and issue thousands of refunds.

LONGER TRUCKS:

Legislation that would authorize straight trucks operating on Iowa's roadways to be up to 45 feet long is on its way to Gov. Terry Branstad's desk for his expected signature. House File 218, which passed by a 50-0 margin, extends the length another four feet beyond the current legal limit. Sen. Michael Breitbach, R-Strawberry Point, said the change would make Iowa's law the same as most of the surrounding states and would bring more uniformity for the trucking industry.

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

'I think there's a lot of attorneys (who) are going to make a lot of money because of this bad piece of legislation,” Iowa State Education Association President Tammy Wawro speaking about prospects for legal challenges to House File 291, which reformed Iowa's collective bargaining law.